Irish Music Stories is the show about traditional music.... and the much bigger stories behind it. IMS is about everything--through an Irish music lens.

Whether you already play the fiddle or you know nothing about trad music or dance, I hope you'll join me, Shannon Heaton, as I learn how a band of Boston tweens ended up at a big music competition in Sligo, and what it meant to their families... and as I dig into the darker, sweeter side of Irish humor... and as I explore what learning Irish songs together is really all about.

Meet thoughtful and incredibly charming people in pubs, kitchens, and backstages throughout the U.S., Ireland, and beyond, underscored with toe-tapping and heart-soaring melodies that seem familiar, even if you've never heard them before.

Why do traditional musicians place a premium on humor and social
rapport? Rory Makem, John Doyle, John Williams, Aidan Collins,
Pauline Logue, Lisa Coyne, and Siobhan and Brendan McKinney help
Shannon investigate the deep wellspring of Irish
wit. Whether you already have an arsenal of quick
comebacks, or you’ve never...